Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the operational impact of the introduction of sky marshals will be on policing at airports.

Cathy Jamieson: Aviation Security is reserved to the UK Government. It has made it clear that its policy, for security reasons, is not to comment on when or where specific, additional security measures are being deployed.

  The deployment of sky marshals, and the operational impact this would have on policing at airports, would be for relevant Chief Constables to consider, linked to the enhanced security levels currently in place at airports due to the international security situation.

Apprenticeships

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) males and (b) females (i) are currently serving apprenticeships in shipyards and (ii) were serving apprenticeships in shipyards in 1994.

Mr Jim Wallace: This question is a matter for Scottish Enterprise. The information is not held centrally.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are currently waiting for a diagnosis of autism, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Executive is committed to improving the recognition, assessment and diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders, through implementation of the Public Health Institute of Scotland's Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report . We are working towards this by increasing the range of information and training on autistic spectrum disorders for families and professionals.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many research projects into causes of autism have been funded by the Chief Scientist Office and how many funding applications for such projects have been rejected by the office in the last year.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive Health Department has not funded any research proposals into the causes of autism in the recent past. No such applications have been rejected in the last year and one is currently under consideration.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be allocated to (a) medical research and investigation into causes of autism and (b) treatment of autism in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office, (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for funding and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO has allocated the following funding for research into autism in each of the last three years. This research relates to treatment and not to causes of autism.

  


2001-02

£35,324



2002-03

£100,994



2003-04

£43,650

Carers

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be to the NHS should home-based respite services no longer be provided in north and west Sutherland.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive recognises that many unpaid carers need a regular break from caring in order to support the caring relationship. Our Partnership Agreement reflects our firm commitment to develop respite provision across Scotland. Over the last three years £22 million has been provided to local authorities specifically to develop short break services. These resources are just part of the total resources available to local authorities. Those authorities decide with key partners, including health boards, how much to spend on delivering home-based respite. If a carer has to withdraw from supporting a cared-for person, for whatever reason, that inevitably has financial implications for authorities, health boards and the other key agencies involved in providing alternative care. Information is not available on the cost to the NHS of withdrawing home-based respite services in north and west Sutherland, or elsewhere.

Crown Estate

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Crown Estate Commission concerning the role of udal law in giving a right of access for potential users in Shetland and Orkney to the sea area above the low water mark.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive have not had discussions with the Crown Estate Commission on this matter.

Culture

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how schools will commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns on 25 January 2004.

Peter Peacock: This is a matter for schools themselves to decide.

Culture

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to enable the tourism industry to capitalise on interest in Robert Burns at this time of year.

Mr Frank McAveety: Scotland's tourism industry benefits greatly from this country's cultural history and Burns is one of Scotland's great cultural icons. His work is well known around the world, and in particular Burns Night presents an excellent opportunity for the promotion of Scotland as a tourist destination.

  How this is done is primarily a matter for VisitScotland and other agencies. However, I understand that VisitScotland have recently set up a feature on Burns, accessible from the home page of visitscotland.com and featuring items on biographies of the man, Burns suppers, how to stage them, recipes, poems etc, while VisitScotland's London Office is presently running a Burns promotion. VisitScotland and EventScotland will also be supporting the Burns an a' that Festival this spring in Ayrshire.

Dentistry

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that "golden hello" payments for new dentistry graduates do not result in the closure of small dental practices due to practice costs not being recovered as a result of such graduates earning more than their practice principals.

Mr Tom McCabe: The payment of "golden hellos" has no impact on practice costs. These payments are made to eligible dentists who are directly responsible for meeting the conditions of payment and any potential re-payments in circumstances where they fail to meet the conditions.

Dentistry

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to retain young dental graduates after the "golden hello" scheme ends.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are no current plans to end "golden hello" payments. From 1 April 2004 dental graduates undertaking vocational training in Scotland will be entitled to an allowance of £3,000 or £6,000 where they undertake vocational training in a designated area. Thereafter where a dentist enters substantive general dental service practice within three months of completion of training they will be entitled to an allowance of £10,000 over two years or £20,000 if they enter substantive practice in a designated area.

Dentistry

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many salaried dentist posts have been advertised since the introduction of such posts and how many vacancies there are currently in each NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: Salaried dentist posts were first introduced in the late 1960s and advertising and filling of vacancies is a matter for the relevant NHS boards/Primary Care NHS Trusts. The information requested is not held centrally.

Economy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4767 by Mr Jim Wallace on 17 December 2003 and if it is not possible to make an international comparison on the measure, how it will be possible to assess when it has met objective 4, target 6 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05.

Mr Jim Wallace: The target referred to is "Reducing the gap in unemployment rates between the worst 10% of areas and the Scottish average by 2006".

  The measure is constructed by subtracting the claimant count unemployment rate for Scotland from the claimant count unemployment rate for the worst 10% of wards in Scotland. Definitions of claimant unemployment vary across countries due to different eligibility criteria for unemployment benefit, so international comparisons are not possible.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to reducing disparities in unemployment between different parts of Scotland. "Reduce the gap in unemployment rates between the worst 10% of areas and the Scottish average by 2006" was set out in Building a Better Scotland and is one of the performance measures for achieving A Smart, Successful Scotland and Social Justice – a Scotland where everyone matters.

  The Fraser of Allander Institute report Measuring progress towards Smart, Successful Scotland, 2003 indicated that over the past 10 years the gap between unemployment levels in Scotland's worst 10% of areas and the Scottish average has closed from just over 20% to 5%.

  Progress towards this target will continue to be monitored through A Smart, Successful Scotland.

Education

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places have been created under the Out of School Hours Learning Programme since its inception in (a) Dundee and (b) Angus.

Peter Peacock: Information is not held centrally on the number of learning opportunities provided by education authorities and schools under the Scottish Executive's Study Support Programme or through the New Opportunities Fund.

Energy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which existing power stations will still be operational in (a) 2010, (b) 2015 and (c) 2020.

Lewis Macdonald: Operational decisions in respect of existing power stations are a matter for the private owners of those assets in conjunction with the appropriate licensing authorities.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-4499, S2W-4512, S2W-4513, S2W-4514 and S2W-4515 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003, whether a detailed analysis of the outcome of the inward investment projects will be published for (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000, (c) 2000-01 (d) 2001-02 and (e) 2002-03.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have no plans currently to carry out a detailed analysis of the outcome of every individual inward investment project recorded for the years in question.

  Accurate figures could only be obtained by undertaking a comprehensive survey of overseas-owned companies on a regular basis. This would be a costly exercise and would also be inconsistent with the policy of reducing the burdens on business.

Environment

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to carry out its next national noise survey.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has not been involved in any national noise survey since 1999-2001 when there were UK-wide noise attitude and parallel national noise incidence surveys undertaken. There are no plans to conduct further surveys of this type at present.

  The Executive, together with the UK Government, will be transposing the EC Environmental Noise Directive in 2004. This directive requires the mapping of noise levels for all major agglomerations, roads, railways and airports initially by 2007, and the drawing up of action plans as appropriate by 2008.

Environment

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to issue guidance to local authorities for recording complaints received by them regarding noise and, if so, when such guidance will be issued.

Allan Wilson: The Executive is planning to issue later this year a noise management guide for use by local authorities. It is the intention that this will reflect the new provisions on domestic noise contained within the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Bill, which is at present being considered in the Scottish Parliament.

Environment

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to develop a national noise strategy to ensure a consistent approach to noise management and, if so, when the strategy will be developed.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has no plans to develop a national noise strategy. However, the implementation of the EC Environmental Noise Directive and the issuing of the proposed noise management guide later this year, as described in the answers to questions S2W-5126 and S2W-5136 on 20 January 2004, should help promote a consistent approach to the management of noise. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Europe

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which European Council meetings its ministers have led the UK delegation as defined in Article 146 of the Maastricht Treaty since February 2001, detailing the name of the relevant ministers, the subjects discussed and the decisions taken.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table provides the information requested.

  


Date, Council and Lead Minister

Subjects Discussed

Decisions Taken


12-2-2001: 
Employment and Youth Council: 
Nicol Stephen
1. Strategies for lifelong learning. 
Also considered: 
2. Community Action Programme. 
3. Leonardo da Vinci. 
4. European Year of Languages 2001. 
5.Trans-European co-operation scheme for higher education.

To adopt a report on the concrete future objectives of education and training systems, and to discuss the work programme arising from the report at the next Education Council meeting. 


5-6-2001: 
Health Council: 
Susan Deacon
1. The EU public health framework programme. 
2. Misuse of alcohol by children and young people. 
3. Proposals for a Tobacco Advertising Directive. 
4. Research and information exchange on vCJD.

To include certain rare diseases in the scope of the public health framework programme, and to call on member states to build on existing work on surveillance and prevention of all transmissible spongiform encephalopathies as they affect human health.

Europe

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of trade is with European Union candidate countries, broken down by country.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish export statistics for 2002 will be made available by the Scottish Executive early in 2004. Where possible, these will detail the value of exports across all sectors of the Scottish economy to principal markets located in the European Union and the rest of the world. Where they are identified as principal export markets, European Union candidate countries will be shown.

  The latest available figures which provide this breakdown relate to the manufacturing sector only and are for 2002. These were published by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) in December 2003 and show the top 40 markets for Scottish manufactured exports. European Union candidate countries are shown where they are a top export market. A copy of SCDI's report was made available to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 30521) and can be accessed on the internet at http://www.scdi.org.uk/file.php?id=1684.

  The latest available export statistics for all sectors of the Scottish economy are for 2001. These were published as part of the Global Connections Survey commissioned by Scottish Development International in February 2003 and, where available, show the value of exports to principal markets located in the European Union and the rest of the world. European Union candidate countries are shown where they are a top export market. A copy of the survey was made available to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 30520) and can be accessed on the internet at http://www.scottishenterprise.com/publicationsglobalconnectionssurvey20012002revised10march2003se.pdf.

Europe

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made a projection of the potential value of expansion in trade to new European Union members after enlargement.

Mr Jim Wallace: Bradley Dunbar Associates produced a context paper for Scottish Enterprise in August 2003 entitled Opportunities and Challenges of EU enlargement  which is available at www.scottish-enterprise.com/euenlargement . A wide range of information on potential trading opportunities is also available to businesses from a number of other sources including the Euro Info Centres, Scottish Development International and the Business Gateway International Trade.

Europe

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what barriers to trade with the European Union currently exist.

Mr Jim Wallace: The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive continues to be in regular contact with DTI, UK Trade and Investment and other government departments on trade issues, including those relating to the European single market, to ensure that Scottish interests are fully taken account of.

  On 7 May 2003, the Commission launched its new internal market strategy for 2003-06, building on the original Internal Market legislative programme first started in 1992. The strategy is a 10-point plan designed to make the internal market work better and respond to the challenges of enlargement, an ageing population and a challenging economic environment of slowing productivity and growth. Officials in the Scottish Executive are continuing to liaise with DTI on the strategy and monitor developments on this issue.

Europe

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to promote trade between Scotland and the European Union and EU candidate countries and what further action it is planning to take.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Development International (SDI) promotes the internationalisation of Scottish companies in line with the Scottish Executive's Global Connections strategy. The EU is a key market for Scotland and SDI provides a wide range of support measures to companies and organisations to assist them to develop trading links, global alliances and strategic partnerships. These include the provision of market research, delivering customised entry support for companies looking at new markets, assistance on outward missions and attendance at major exhibitions and in market assistance through SDI's network of overseas offices.

  In respect of the EU candidate countries, activity to date has been largely concentrated on raising awareness and SDI has been working closely with the Euro Info Centres on awareness activities directed at business across Scotland. For the future, specific opportunities have been identified in sectors such as engineering and environmental services; financial services and business process operations; e-business and software; electronics; food and drink and tourism. Where other opportunities are also identified, companies will have access to the full range of SDI services to ensure that these are maximised.

Europe

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on its European strategy.

Mr Andy Kerr: Following the May 2003 Election, the First Minister established a ministerial group on European strategy with the remit to map out a clear framework for the Scottish Executive's work on EU issues over the next four years. One of the outcomes of this work has been the production of the Scottish Executive's European Strategy, which has been published today. The strategy has been developed in close consultation with the UK Government.

  The strategy states the strategic goals for our engagement in Europe, outlines our key priorities, and identifies how we plan to set about achieving our goals. The strategy is ambitious and demanding and applies to the whole Executive, as well as its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

  A copy of the strategy has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 30570). I shall be sending a copy to all Scotland's MEPs, to other members of the European Elected Members' Information Liaison and Exchange group, and to members of the Consular Corps. Copies are also being sent to key stakeholders and delivery partners. The document will also be available on the Scottish Executive internet site.

Fisheries

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider a compensation scheme for deckhands who have lost their employment in the fishing industry due to decommissioning on a similar basis to the compensation awarded to deep-sea trawler men who used to fish off Iceland.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no plans to provide compensation to fishermen formerly employed on vessels which have been decommissioned.

  Mechanisms are in place through the local enterprise network and other public sector agencies to provide a wide range of support and advice to any fishermen made unemployed as a result of decommissioning.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Further Education Funding Council about the future of further education in Glasgow.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive and the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) are engaged in regular dialogue on a wide range of issues and developments across the further education sector in Scotland. Part of that dialogue involves the provision of information and advice by SFEFC to ministers, including on a recent request by the boards of Glasgow College of Building and Printing and Glasgow College of Food Technology that ministers approve the merger of the colleges.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the proposal for a review of the further education curriculum before a determination of the reconfiguration of college estates in Glasgow.

Mr Jim Wallace: Issues relating to the curriculum offered by further education colleges are a matter for their boards of management and for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC), which has overall responsibility for ensuring the adequate and efficient provision of further education in Scotland. Ministers fully support the work being undertaken throughout the sector aimed at ensuring the provision of further education in a way which provides the maximum value for the record sums being invested in the sector. That includes the current consideration by the Glasgow colleges and SFEFC of both curriculum and estates configuration.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the proposal for a five-way merger of further education colleges in Glasgow.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is committed to a world class further education sector which delivers the maximum value for the record levels of funding now being invested. We look to the colleges' boards of management to work together, where possible, to identify areas where efficiencies can be secured and further education delivered in the most rational way, to the ultimate benefit of the students and communities served by the colleges. It is encouraging that discussions are continuing between Glasgow's five city centre colleges on their future estates configuration, but I am not aware that a proposal to merge the colleges has emerged from these discussions.

Further Education

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy objectives are for the further education sector set out in order of priority, detailing the reasons behind each objective.

Mr Jim Wallace: Ministers have a range of policy objectives for the further education sector which support our overall commitment to growing the economy and promoting a socially just society. These policy objectives are set out in the annual letter of strategic guidance to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. It is for college boards of management to balance these policy objectives within the resources at their disposal in a way which best supports the needs of the communities they serve. The letter for the current year of 2003-04, dated 20 December 2002, can be found in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 27458). The letter for 2004-05 was issued on 12 January 2004 and a copy of this will also be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Further and Higher Education Funding Councils

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are of its plans to merge the higher and further education funding councils for the number and range of further education colleges.

Mr Jim Wallace: There are no implications for the number and range of further education colleges in plans for merging the further and higher education funding councils.

Health

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4075 by Malcolm Chisholm on 5 December 2003, whether it has an estimate of the number of patients who waited for more than one hour before being allocated a hospital bed within the Greater Glasgow NHS board area in the week beginning 10 November 2003 and, if not, whether the results of the census conducted in Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Dumfries and Galloway and Lanarkshire NHS boards provide any basis for making such an estimate.

Malcolm Chisholm: The answer to both questions is no.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how a homeless person not in receipt of benefits can access NHS general ophthalmic services.

Mr Tom McCabe: Entitlement to a free NHS sight test under NHS general ophthalmic services is limited to certain categories of people, including those aged under 16, those aged 60 and over, the registered blind and partially sighted, diagnosed diabetics and glaucoma sufferers and those in receipt of certain benefits/tax credits. Those homeless people who fall within the entitlement categories can access a NHS sight test by visiting a high street optician who undertakes NHS general ophthalmic services. Those people who do not fall within any of the entitlement categories cannot access NHS general ophthalmic services.

  Health and Homelessness Actions Plans highlight the need to ensure homeless people can access sight tests. Concerted effort is being made across Scotland by NHS boards to improve all aspects of health care for homeless people through actions plans and this is the route by which optical services needs of homeless people could be addressed.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how an unaccompanied asylum seeker under 21 can access NHS general ophthalmic services.

Mr Tom McCabe: Entitlement to free NHS sight tests under NHS general ophthalmic services is limited to certain categories of people, including those aged under 16, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, those in receipt of certain benefits/tax credits and those entitled to full help with health costs (HC2 holders) under the NHS Low Income Scheme. An asylum seeker aged under 16 who comes to this country unaccompanied is therefore automatically entitled to a NHS sight test and can receive such a test by attending a high street optician in the company of an adult who has the care of him/her or of a duly authorised person. Unaccompanied asylum seekers aged 16 and over will require to fall into one of the other eligibility categories to be able to access NHS sight tests.

  Asylum seekers are entitled to apply for help with health costs under the NHS Low Income Scheme. Such applications can be made by those aged 16 or over. Therefore an unaccompanied asylum seeker aged 16 or over in receipt of a HC2 certificate for full help with health costs will be able to access NHS sight tests by attending a high street optician.

Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact of downgrading the Belford Hospital in Fort William from an acute hospital on the travel costs of patients receiving elective treatment; what estimate has been made by NHS Highland of any additional travel costs incurred as a result, and what factors were taken into account when calculating such additional costs.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Highland is responsible for planning and providing services at the Belford Hospital. The NHS board has reached no decision about the future pattern of services. If the board makes any proposals for change to the existing arrangements, it will require to assess the financial consequences. But the scope of the assessment will be for the board to determine.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact is of refusal of continuing hormone replacement therapy, due to recently published medical research, on the quality of life of women affected.

Malcolm Chisholm: For many women, the symptoms that occur at menopause adversely affect their quality of life. Following careful assessment of findings from a number of studies that provide important information on the safety of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the UK Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) and its expert working group on HRT have reviewed the use of HRT in its licensed indications and issued clear safety advice to health professionals and women.

  The CSM's advice regarding the short-term treatment of these symptoms is unchanged and HRT remains the first choice of treatment. However, in these women, the lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest possible duration, each decision to start HRT should be made on an individual basis with a fully informed woman and treatment should be re-evaluated at least annually in light of new knowledge and any changes in the woman's risk factors.

  The CSM has further advised that HRT should no longer be considered as the first choice treatment for the prevention of osteoporosis in women who are at increased risk of fractures, as the risks are considered to outweigh the benefits. However, HRT may still be used in women who are intolerant of, or unresponsive to, other osteoporosis therapies.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations have been postponed due to bed shortages at the new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in each year since it opened.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not available in the form requested. Latest figures indicate that, between April and December 2003, a total of 989 operations were cancelled, of which 109 were attributed to a lack of beds.

  There are many explanations for the cancellation of operations, other than a shortage of beds. Operations which are cancelled perfectly legitimately, and in advance, range from surgery no longer required, surgery done elsewhere, patient not fit, and patients not turning up.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on levels of obesity amongst 12-year-olds, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information for all NHS boards in Scotland is not currently available. For those areas where data is available, the following table shows the levels of obesity amongst children who have received a primary 7 school review (aged between 11 and 12 years approximately).

  High BMI Distribution: Children Receiving a Primary 7 Review: School Year 2001-02

  

 

Total Number

Obese (>95th centile) No.

%



Total

12,194

2,208

18.1



Borders

1,279

217

17.0



Fife

4,020

742

18.5



Lanarkshire

6,895

1,249

18.1



  Source: CHSP-S ISD Scotland.

  Estimated age at review 11-12 years.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been (a) charged and (b) prosecuted for terrorist activities in each of the last five years and so far this year.

Colin Boyd QC: The statistical information necessary to answer this question is not readily available. The term "terrorist activities" could cover a variety of crimes – both common law and statutory.

  The following table shows the number of persons proceeded against in Scottish courts between 1997 and 2001 for offences under prevention of terrorism legislation generally, where that offence is the main offence. It does not include offences which might amount to terrorist activities where the main charge was libelled at common law.

  


Year

Total Number

Number with Charge Proved



1997

26

25



1998

30

30



1999

17

13



2000

9

8



2001

6

6



  Of those persons prosecuted for offences under prevention of terrorism legislation in 2001, three were charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 against all of the whom the charge was proved.

  Information is not available for 2002 or 2003. However, records show that 78 persons have been reported to Procurators Fiscal for consideration of proceedings for contraventions of the Terrorism Act 2000 in the period from 19 February 2001 to date. This figure includes persons charged with offences ranging from possession of articles for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism to failing to complete a landing card at a port.

Justice

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned from the arrest under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent release without charge of Ghalem Belhadj, Salah Moullef, Hakim Ziem and Lasnan Lasnami.

Cathy Jamieson: I understand that these arrests were the result of a thorough investigation carried out by Lothian and Borders Police. In the normal manner, a formal report on the evidence gathered was prepared and submitted to the Crown Office. The decision not to indict the accused within the statutory 110 day period was entirely a matter for the Crown Office following careful consideration of all the available evidence at that time. As regards any further comment on this case at the present time, the Lord Advocate considers that disclosure of the evidence and the specific circumstances would be contrary to the public interest.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce non-numeric fingerprinting evidence and, if so, when it will be introduced.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4550 on 16 December 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current arrangements are for the appointment of new Justices of the Peace.

Cathy Jamieson: There are 32 Justice of the Peace Advisory Committees throughout Scotland that advise ministers on the need for Justices of the Peace in their area and recommend suitable candidates for appointment. Scottish ministers appoint Justices of the Peace, on behalf of, and in the name of Her Majesty, to Commission Areas, under section 9 of the District Courts (Scotland) Act 1975.

Licensing

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it received to its consultation on the report of the Nicholson Committee and what the plans and timetable are for the implementation of recommendations contained in the report.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has received a total of 166 responses to the report of the Nicholson Committee. Those responses are currently being independently analysed and a report will be submitted to ministers. Ministers will therefore publish their response to the consultation.

Local Government Finance

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer of tax relief for community amateur sports clubs, including a concession of at least 80% on council tax.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a mandatory rates relief scheme for community amateur sports clubs, similar to that introduced in England and Wales.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2O-1066 on 15 January 2004 which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Maternity Services

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4186 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 December 2003, what percentage of babies born in each year from 1996-97 to 2001-02 was discharged from neonatal units.

Malcolm Chisholm: Table 1 shows the number of live births in Scotland, babies discharged from neonatal units 1 in Scotland and the percentage neonatal discharges from such a unit.

  Table 1: Births2,3 and Percentage of Babies Discharged from Neonatal Units: 1996-97 to 2001-02

  


Scotland4

Live Births

Neonatal Discharges

% Neonatal Discharges



1996-97

57,959

8,752

15.1



1997-98

58,088

8,348

14.4



1998-99

56,249

8,217

14.6



1999-2000

53,865

8,197

15.2



2000-01

52,233

7,765

14.9



2001-02

50,271

7,059

14.0



  Source: SMR02 and SMR11.

  Notes:

  1. Includes neonatal intensive care.

  2. Excludes home births and births at non-NHS hospitals.

  3. From 1998, where four or more babies are involved in a pregnancy, birth details are recorded for the first three babies. Prior to 1998, birth details were recorded only for the first two babies delivered.

  4. Includes births where health board of residence is unknown or outside Scotland.

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-4666 and S2W-4682 by Malcolm Chisholm on 16 December 2003, what the drop-out rate of midwifery students has been in each of the last three years and what the reasons have been for these rates.

Malcolm Chisholm: The total number of midwifery students who have discontinued from their course for the period requested is shown in the following table. There is no single reason as to why midwifery students discontinue from their studies. However, the most commonly reported reasons are financial circumstances or a change in personal circumstances.

  Total Number of Midwifery Students Discontinued, 2001-03

  

 

2001

2002

2003



No. of people

73

57

52



Attrition %

12%

9.3%

8.2%

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of the proposed abolition of the Yorkhill NHS Trust will be for clinical governance by Royal Hospital for Sick Children management and staff.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-5128 on 20 January 2004 which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottishparliament.uk/webapp/wa.search

Maternity Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of the proposed abolition of the Yorkhill NHS Trust will be for budgetary control by Royal Hospital for Sick Children management.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for Greater Glasgow NHS Board.

Maternity Services

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to any public concern over maternity service reviews.

Malcolm Chisholm: The review and planning of maternity services is primarily a responsibility for NHS boards.

  Both A Framework for Maternity Services (2001) and the report of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services (EGAMS 2002) state that NHS boards should make sure that local consultation and public involvement takes place when planning maternity services.

  I have made it clear to NHS boards that when considering proposals for reconfiguration I will have to be satisfied that they are consistent with the recommendations of these national policy documents.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3472 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 November 2003, why information on psychological intervention or other non-drug therapies, in respect of (a) severe and enduring mental illness, (b) attention deficit hyperkenetic disorder, (c) depression and (d) dementia, is not held centrally.

Malcolm Chisholm: Unlike prescription medications dispensed in the community, psychological therapies are not paid for centrally and as a result there is no single stream for data on psychological interventions.

  Collection of enhanced information to capture psychological interventions provided will require considerable additional infrastructure and organisational development, including agreement on national definitions for different psychological approaches. Work on this is beginning, through the Improving Mental Health Information Programme (iMHIP), eCare and the eHealth strategy.

  Certain information is already available on aspects of psychiatric and psychological health care, as summarised in the June 02 publication Mental Health in Scotland: Information Sources and Selected Insights (available at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/collect2.jsp?pContentID=1554).

NHS Waiting Times

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is in each NHS board area for access to a DEXA scan.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.

National Health Service

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is currently capacity within the NHS to allow every individual access to a local GP.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is for the Scottish Medical Practices Committee, on the basis of information from NHS boards, to ensure the adequacy of general medical services in their areas. Where the committee determines that a doctor who retires or resigns should be replaced, or where it determines that an additional doctor is required, it will direct the board to seek applications for the post. In addition, regulations provide that any patient who is without a doctor for any reason, may apply to their board for assignment to a GP. I am not aware of any patient for whom a GP cannot be found.

National Health Service

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deal with any shortage of anaesthetists within the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of consultant anaesthetists employed by the NHS in Scotland has risen by 26% since 1997.

  The route to a consultant anaesthetist post is through Specialist Registrar (SpR) training. The number of training posts required to meet the future demands of the NHS is reviewed each year.

  In Scotland, between March 2001 and March 2003, there has been an increase of 39 SpR posts (33%) in anaesthetics in recognition of current and expected demand on this specialty.

Nursing

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its target for an additional 525 student nurse places by the end of 2003 has been achieved.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive remains committed to building the capacity of NHSScotland.

  To date we have recruited 429 of the 525 additional student nursing and midwifery places that were allocated for academic year 2003-04.

  Efforts are still continuing to recruit to the target number. Higher education institutions have still to confirm the number of students commencing in the February 2004 intake. We are also expecting a further intake to the HNC route in February 2004.

Oil and Gas Industry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to assess the impact of North Sea offshore drilling activity on the economics of (a) the north east and (b) Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: Activity within the offshore drilling sector has a significant bearing upon future oil and gas production and the Executive, in conjunction with the UK Government and Scottish Enterprise, monitors such activity on an ongoing basis.

Oil and Gas Industry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make representations to the Department of Trade and Industry in respect of measures to encourage an increase in North Sea offshore drilling and, if so, when it will do so.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including offshore drilling in the North Sea. Through PILOT, the government and industry taskforce for the oil and gas industry of which I am Vice-Chair, we are continuing to work with the UK Government and the industry to develop, sustain and diversify the UK oil and gas industry.

Oil and Gas Industry

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the oil and gas industry in 2004 and future years.

Lewis Macdonald: Through PILOT, we are continuing to work with the UK Government and the industry to develop, sustain and diversify the UK oil and gas industry.

Parenting

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what research there is that proves any beneficial effects of parenting orders.

Ms Margaret Curran: Evaluation commissioned by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, Positive Parenting: The National Evaluation of the Youth Justice Board's Parenting Programme , found that parenting orders had had a positive impact on parents and recorded improvements in various dimensions of parenting. The full evaluation report, which was published in September 2002, can be accessed at http://www.youth-justice-board.gov.uk/Publications/Downloads/PositiveParenting.pdf.

People with Disabilities

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2W-4605 by Mr Tom McCabe on 15 December 2003, whether it will list the specific organisations that have received grants for 2002-03 under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 for the provision of services to disabled persons, stating the level of grant awarded.

Mr Tom McCabe: A number of organisations provide services across the entire community care client group. Some organisations which receive section 10 grants do not provide services for disabled persons alone. This makes it impossible to provide a full breakdown of section 10 funding for the provision of services to disabled persons.

  The table details all grants made under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 in 2002-03 from the Health Department budget. Other departments also make grants under section 10 which may relate to disabled persons.

  Section 10 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 Health Department Grants 2002-03

  


Organisation

Type of Grant

Policy Priority Area
Offer 2002-03 (£)




Age Concern Scotland, National

Community Care - Core

Older People

59,660



Alzheimers Scotland - Action on Dementia

Community Care

Mental Welfare

95,481



Alzheimers Scotland, National

Community Care - Carers Strategy

Carers

27,500



Arthritis Care Scotland, National

Community Care - Core

Physical Disability

13,000



Arthritis Care, National

Community Care

Physical Disability

13,000



Assist-project, National

Community Care

Community Care

65,000



British Deaf Association, national

Community Care

Sensory Impairment

32,000



British Deaf Association, National

Community Care - Core

Sensory Impairment

32,000



Call Centre, National

Community Care

Learning Disability

15,300



Carers Scotland, National

Community Care

Carers

74,263



Cares of West Lothian, Edinburgh

Community Care

Carers

21,000



Carr Gomm Scotland, National

Community Care

Community Care

10,300



Contact the Elderly In Scotland, National

Community Care

Older People

3,183



Contact the Elderly Scotland, National

Community Care - Core

Older People

3,183



Crew 2000, National

Community Care

Drugs and Alcohol

26,920



Crossroads Scotland, National

Community Care

Carers

38,201



Crossroads Scotland, National

Community Care - Carers Strategy

Carers

18,000



Deafblind Scotland, National

Community Care

Sensory Impairment

17,740



Deafblind Scotland, National

Community Care - Project

Sensory Impairment

61,600



Dementia Services Development Centre, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

137,917



Edinburgh Association for Mental Health

Community Care

Mental Welfare

23,000



Edinburgh Association for Mental Health

Community Care- Capital

Mental Welfare

6,000



Edinvar Community Care Ltd, Edinburgh

Community Care

Community Care

29,124



Enable Services Limited, National

Community Care

Learning Disability

27,324



Epilepsy Action Scotland, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

21,218



Headway, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

66,000



Inclusion Scotland

Community Care

Physical Disability

35,000



Manic Depression Fellowship (Scotland), National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

26,523



ME Association, National

Community Care

Physical Disability

23,578



ME Association, National

Community Care - Core

Physical Disability

23,578



Minority Ethnic Carers of Older People, Edinburgh

Community Care - Carers Strategy

Carers

6,000



Moira Anderson Foundation, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

40,000



National Autistic Society, National

Community Care - Project

Mental Welfare

25,000



NSF Scotland, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

76,700



Pain Association Scotland, National

Community Care

Community Care

25,750



Parkinson's Disease Society, National

Community Care

Older People

2,500



Parkinson's Disease Society, National

Community Care - Core

Physical Disability

3,183



Partners In Advocacy, National

Community Care

Learning Disability

15,450



Penumbra, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

55,000



Penumbra, respite, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

10,609



People First (Scotland), National

Community Care

Learning Disability

53,045



Positive Steps Partnership, National

Community Care

AIDS

18,035



Princess Royal Trust (Young Carers), National

Community Care

Carers

17,500



Rehab Scotland, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

28,271



Relatives Association, National

Community Care

Carers

25,000



Richmond Fellowship, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

29,972



SASLI, National

Community Care - Core

Sensory Impairment

23,712



Scottish Association for Mental health, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

81,689



Scottish Association for Sign Language Interpreters

Community Care

Sensory Impairment

23,712



Scottish Consumer Council (SAIF), National

Community Care

Sensory Impairment

73,748



Scottish Council on Deafness, National

Community Care

Sensory Impairment

8,487



Scottish Disability Equality Forum

Community Care

Physical Disability

35,000



Scottish Huntington's Association

Community Care

Mental Welfare

26,522



Sense Scotland, National

Community Care - Carers Strategy

Carers

10,000



Shared Care Scotland, National

Community Care - Project

Carers

18,000



Shared Care Scotland, National

Community Care

Carers

73,905



Spinal Injuries Scotland, National

Community Care - Core

Physical Disability

25,000



Stresswatch Scotland, National

Community Care

Mental Welfare

11,219



Update, National

Community Care - Core

Physical Disability

234,584



Values Into Action, National

Community Care

Learning Disability

10,609



Waverly Trust, National

Community Care

HIV/AIDS

7,635

Police

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase has been in police numbers within (a) Strathclyde Police and (b) "K" division of Strathclyde Police since (i) 1997 and (ii) 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: Police numbers in Strathclyde have increased by 365 since 1997, and by 186 since 1999. Similar information for "K" division of Strathclyde Police is not held centrally and is a matter for Strathclyde Police.

Population

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the pensioner population has been in each local authority in each year since 1995.

Hugh Henry: The Registrar General's mid-year population estimates give the following pensioner population (men 65+ /women 60+) in each local authority area since 1995.

  



1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002



Scotland

919,442

921,741

925,097

929,472

932,752

937,391

944,110

949,785



Aberdeen City

37,423

37,378

37,353

37,384

37,420

37,513

37,428

37,346



Aberdeenshire

34,544

35,021

35,489

36,002

36,535

37,238

38,101

38,790



Angus

21,952

21,992

22,033

22,218

22,229

22,442

22,735

22,912



Argyll and Bute

18,984

18,971

19,096

19,153

19,289

19,502

19,806

20,038



Clackmannanshire

8,038

8,030

8,130

8,152

8,213

8,225

8,244

8,347



Dumfries and Galloway

31,243

31,489

31,719

31,979

32,294

32,661

33,179

33,775



Dundee City

29,937

30,079

30,042

30,049

29,990

29,847

29,800

29,718



East Ayrshire

22,354

22,398

22,514

22,494

22,493

22,668

22,800

22,927



East Dunbartonshire

17,947

18,273

18,621

18,964

19,359

19,664

20,076

20,515



East Lothian

17,381

17,405

17,509

17,641

17,796

17,893

18,116

18,249



East Renfrewshire

15,078

15,276

15,502

15,767

15,923

16,186

16,489

16,740



Edinburgh, City of

81,147

80,741

80,391

80,443

80,275

79,936

79,690

79,375



Eilean Siar

6,045

6,021

5,980

5,993

5,999

6,019

6,093

6,067



Falkirk

25,072

25,250

25,431

25,673

26,006

26,209

26,525

26,761



Fife

63,824

64,155

64,585

64,911

65,156

65,796

66,291

67,065



Glasgow City

113,864

112,412

111,064

109,784

107,909

106,343

105,126

103,494



Highland

37,827

38,287

38,807

39,312

39,794

40,382

40,932

41,486



Inverclyde

16,575

16,425

16,390

16,365

16,389

16,394

16,406

16,303



Midlothian

13,203

13,365

13,585

13,747

13,946

14,122

14,315

14,433



Moray

15,578

15,651

15,776

15,966

16,155

16,295

16,536

16,748



North Ayrshire

24,521

24,687

24,869

25,154

25,321

25,557

25,916

26,319



North Lanarkshire

51,283

51,408

51,755

52,222

52,726

53,164

53,324

53,655



Orkney Islands

3,646

3,665

3,684

3,699

3,718

3,788

3,812

3,883



Perth and Kinross

27,725

27,853

28,119

28,285

28,514

28,789

29,060

29,530



Renfrewshire

30,297

30,573

30,754

30,947

31,112

31,247

31,503

31,653



Scottish Borders

23,019

22,992

23,001

23,064

23,105

23,189

23,496

23,644



Shetland Islands

3,490

3,457

3,469

3,456

3,510

3,554

3,603

3,695



South Ayrshire

23,944

24,109

24,247

24,439

24,501

24,681

24,918

25,164



South Lanarkshire

51,341

51,793

52,216

52,721

53,154

53,666

54,524

55,097



Stirling

14,809

14,979

15,106

15,305

15,450

15,594

15,827

16,124



West Dunbartonshire

17,403

17,366

17,304

17,319

17,315

17,216

17,248

17,194



West Lothian

19,948

20,240

20,556

20,864

21,156

21,611

22,191

22,738

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for building the proposed two new prisons.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The current aim, subject to planning permission being granted at Low Moss and Addiewell and to the necessary financial provision being approved, is for the building of the proposed new prisons to commence in 2005.

Regulation of Care

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it still expects the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care to become self-financing through registration fees from 2004-05.

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what submissions it has received from local authorities, voluntary sector providers and private sector providers regarding the implications of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care being expected to become self-financing through registration fees from 2004-05.

Mr Tom McCabe: In recognition of the potential difficulties in moving to full cost recovery fee levels in 2004-05 for service providers, ministers have reviewed the full cost recovery policy. While we still wish to deliver the original policy intention, we have now proposed that the move to full cost recovery is staged over the next three years, rather than being introduced in one step in 2004-05 .  A consultation paper was issued on 15 December seeking the views of interested parties including local authorities, voluntary and private sector providers by 6 February.

Renewable Energy

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how community investment in wind farms projects is being encouraged.

Lewis Macdonald: We are keen to see options for communities securing a financial stake in renewables developments fully explored. To that end, we are discussing with Highlands and Islands Enterprise a possible scheme they are considering for their area; and we will consider whether a similar scheme might be introduced in the rest of Scotland.

Schools

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its decision on the future of Earnock High School, Hamilton.

Peter Peacock: I hope to be in a position to announce a decision shortly.

Schools

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements will be put in place to ensure the safety of pupils travelling to Blantyre, should it decide to close Earnock High School, Hamilton.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements will be put in place to ensure that pupils have access to all out-of-school activities, should it decide to close Earnock High School, Hamilton.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements will be put in place to ensure the servicing of the growing school roll in light of the increasing housing stock in Hamilton, should the Executive decide to close Earnock High School.

Peter Peacock: It is not appropriate to speculate on a ministerial decision which has yet to be taken.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £69 million to fund outdoor pursuits for children has been allocated for capital expenditure and how this element will be spent.

Peter Peacock: None of the funding made available under the Scottish Executive's National Priorities Action Fund or the New Opportunities Fund's Activities Programme is specifically allocated for capital expenditure.

  Funding to support the building or refurbishment of sports or outdoor adventure facilities is available to local authorities from the New Opportunities Fund's separate £52 million Facilities Programme under the PE & Sport in Schools Initiative.

Scottish Water

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to issue any guidance to Scottish Water in respect of reducing or eliminating the allowable cost figure that Scottish Water applies in respect of new water and sewerage connections.

Ross Finnie: Part 2 of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 provides for ministers to make regulations determining what is a reasonable cost, for the purposes of section 1 of the Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 and section 6 of the Water (Scotland) Act 1980, which deal respectively with new water and new sewerage connections to the public water and sewerage networks.

  Ministers made clear during the passage of the 2003 act that regulations determining reasonable cost were likely to mean that developers would no longer receive an automatic subsidy from Scottish Water on more or less every house that they build. Instead they would normally be expected to provide the infrastructure as part of the development.

  Regulations under Part 2 of the act will be the subject of public consultation before they are brought into force.

Social Work

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3590 by Euan Robson on 2 December 2003, what its most up-to-date figures are for to the number of social workers employed across all agencies and local authorities.

Euan Robson: Information prior to 1997 and agency figures are not held centrally. The latest figure for local authority social workers is 4,017, whole-time equivalent, as at October 2002, an increase of 21% over the 1997 total. Returns from an incomplete consultation (29 local authorities) indicate the overall establishment of social worker posts increasing by nearly 4.4% between June and December 2003.

Social Work

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3930 by Euan Robson on 2 December 2003, what action it is taking to address the situation whereby in 22% of the cases examined, children assessed for home supervision were not allocated social workers.

Euan Robson: We are encouraging and supporting local agencies to improve planning and provision of services for children and young people. For example, the Changing Children's Services Fund is providing £170 million over three years to help agencies better co-ordinate children's services, in particular for those most in need of support. In addition the Anti Social Behaviour Bill contains measures to ensure compliance, through the courts if necessary, strengthening the statutory duty on local authorities to implement supervision requirements.

  The Scottish Executive has also had a programme of work to support the employers to boost social work numbers since shortages can contribute to problems in allocating workers and delivering services. The Scottish Executive published data at the end of June 2003 which showed there are 144 more social workers in children and family services nationally when compared with 2002. The position should be helped further when 50 fast-track social work trainees start work, and 469 current students enter the workforce this year.

Student Loans

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3279 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 November 2003, whether in its contacts with Her Majesty's Government detailed discussions have taken place on the income threshold at which graduates start to repay their student loans and, if so, what options are under consideration.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the repayment threshold for student loans.

UK Legislation

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-999 by Lewis Macdonald on 18 December 2003, what will be included in the Sewel motion on the UK Energy Bill.

Lewis Macdonald: The Sewel memorandum and motion were forwarded to the Enterprise and Culture Committee for consideration on 12 January. The memorandum addresses a wide range of provisions within the Energy Bill that fall within devolved competence. These include provisions to establish the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; to reconstitute the UKAEA Constabulary as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary; to amend the Radioactive Substances Act 1998; to establish Renewable Energy Zones; to provide powers in respect of the decommissioning of offshore renewable energy installations; to extend the scope of the Renewables Obligations and to permit funds from the Fossil Fuel Levy to be paid into the Scottish Consolidated Fund.

UK Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4368 by Lewis Macdonald on 15 December 2003, whether it has discussed the content and implications of Her Majesty's Government's draft bill covering electricity (trading and transmission) and nuclear sites and radioactive substances as part of its regular contact with that government.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has discussed with Her Majesty's Government the content and implications of the bills in its legislative programme, including the Energy Bill. The discussions for each bill have reflected the extent of the relationship with devolved matters. We have now issued a Sewel motion to the Parliament covering those provisions within the Energy Bill that fall in devolved competence.

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4278 by Allan Wilson on 5 December 2003, whether it has the power to specify threshold levels for small commercial waste oil burners under the Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations 2003, as has been exercised by Her Majesty's Government under the equivalent regulations in England and Wales.

Allan Wilson: The Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations 2003 transpose the Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC). Section 57(2) of the Scotland Act 1998 provides that the Executive has no power to make regulations in a way that is incompatible with European Community law. As the Waste Incineration Directive has no de minimis threshold for small waste oil burners, the Executive is unable to specify any threshold level for such units in the regulations.

  The equivalent regulations for England and Wales do not include any threshold for small waste oil burners. I understand the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has no plans to introduce such a threshold.

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has decided not to set a threshold in relation to small commercial waste oil burners under the Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations 2003, as has been set by Her Majesty's Government, and whether it has any plans to review its interpretation of the regulations to reflect the position in England and Wales.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5142 on 20 January 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish Executive has no plans to review its interpretation of the Waste Incineration Directive. The interpretation of the Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations 2003 is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in the first instance, and ultimately for the courts.

Water

Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2732 by Ross Finnie on 1 October 2003, what provisions in the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 give the Scottish Environment Protection Agency the scope and ability to provide significant water storage to obviate any need for abstraction from the River Dee.

Allan Wilson: The Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 provides a strategic framework to protect the Scottish water environment. The provision of water storage facilities for public water supplies is a matter for Scottish Water, not the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Parliament Expenditure

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will seek the agreement of the Church of Scotland to remove the confidentiality clause from, and make public the details of, the financial arrangements for the Parliament's renting of the Assembly Hall.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body does not consider the financial arrangements behind the Parliament's renting of the Assembly Hall to be confidential. The answer given to question S1W-30522 on 7 November 2002 provided details of the financial arrangements then applying in respect of the Assembly Hall and other accommodation. The current annual rental payable in respect of the Assembly Hall is now £128,000, following rent review.

Scottish Parliament Expenditure

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will make public the annual rental it pays for the accommodation, other than the Assembly Hall, which parliamentary staff and MSPs occupy.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The answer given to question S1W-30522 on 7 November 2002 provided details of the financial arrangements then applying in respect of the Assembly Hall and other accommodation.

  By way of update, the terms under which our various properties are let from City of Edinburgh Council are currently being renegotiated. These negotiations include a review of rent. The current annual total rent paid to City of Edinburgh Council is £1,256,750.

  Annual rentals in respect of other accommodation remain as given in the answer to question S1W-30522.